Taste of summer warmth in Northeast will be brief, but significant
The warmest weather of May so far will arrive in the Northeast late this week. AccuWeather meteorologists expect temperatures to reach the 80s in cities such as New York City and Philadelphia, and some locations may even come close to 90 degrees.
A warming trend across the Northeast will continue through the end of the week. High temperatures will be in the 70s and 80s for many locations, and conditions will generally be dry.
A big warmup will close out the week in the Northeast, with temperatures in many areas away from the coast expected to soar into the 80s on through Friday, according to AccuWeather forecasters.
The warmth comes almost exactly a month after temperatures shattered records for April in the region and not long after May began with chilly conditions more typical of March. While this surge of warmer air is not expected to be record-breaking, the warm spell will still represent a taste of summer for millions with more than a month to go until the official start of the season.
The increase in temperature will not come without hazards. Combined with a drier weather pattern across the region, the risk of wildfires will be elevated. Officials are also warning about the dangers of prolonged sun exposure and entering very cold bodies of water due to the risk of cold water shock.
As quickly as the warmth builds in, it will start to fade away this weekend for Mother’s Day, and into next week, as cooler air moves in from Canada. However, temperatures are not expected to fall to below-normal levels for the middle of May, forecasters say.
Temperatures more reminiscent of late June than mid-May
The Northeast has been dealing with clouds, showers and cool weather as of late, especially from the last week of April into the first week of May. Recently, largely dry weather has returned, and temperatures have rebounded close to historical averages.
That transition from near-average to above-average temperatures expanded across most of the region through Thursday, as high pressure began to build in from the south and west.
"Warmer air more reminiscent of late June will build into the Northeast for the last few days of the week," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Dean DeVore.
After five days with highs in the 70s, close to their historical averages, both Philadelphia and New York City recorded a high temperature of 80 on Thursday.
The change in temperature will be even more stark in New England in places such as Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. Each city experienced a brief cooldown on Tuesday. High temperatures will rebound from the 50s and 60s that were recorded earlier this week to the 70s and lower 80s away from the coast.
The warmth will hit its crescendo on Friday, when the mercury could come within earshot of 90 degrees in some of the normally warmer spots in the mid-Atlantic, such as interior northern New Jersey.
Unlike most midsummer heat waves, warm weather in the spring typically comes with one advantage: a lack of humidity. This round will be no different. Without the humidity, the AccuWeather RealFeel™ Temperature will be closer to the actual thermometer readings, in contrast to a summer heat wave where it can run as much as 10 to 15 degrees higher when there are higher humidity levels.
"This is a great time of year when you can experience summerlike temperatures without the humidity," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg.
As quickly as the warmth builds, it will fade away over the weekend and into next week. High temperatures will settle back into the 60s and 70s again, and the threat of rain and thunderstorms will return for some. Despite the stark difference, those temperatures are still fairly close to historical averages for mid-May.
"The [decrease] in warmth will be due to a series of cold fronts moving in from Canada," said DeVore. "The fronts will work to knock down the temperature a little bit at a time into the new week."
Warm weather recreation in the spring comes with hazards
The big warmup will no doubt have many Northeasterners headed outdoors, especially after enduring the cool, cloudy conditions of the past several weeks. AccuWeather experts warn that outdoor summer activities performed in the spring come with some risks.
With dry conditions preceding and accompanying the warmth, the risk of wildfires will increase over the next few days. This will especially be the case across New England, where trees and vegetation are just starting to leaf and bloom, and there's plenty of dry fuels still on the ground.
Most wildfires are set by accident — such as when cigarette butts are tossed out of vehicles or campfires are not properly put out. Extreme caution should be exercised if you plan to start a fire for recreational purposes, and people should never leave a campfire until it is completely extinguished, experts say.
The effects of ongoing wildfires in Canada are already impacting the Northeast. Smoke at higher levels of the atmosphere was enveloping parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast on Wednesday and will continue to paint a hazy or milky sky for a few more days. While the smoke will be high enough in the air so as to not impact air quality, it will make for some vibrant sunrises or sunsets in areas where it is particularly thick.
A woman applies sunscreen to a little boy on the beach at Atlantic City, New Jersey. (AP Photo / Mary Godleski)
During the second half of spring, the power of the sun can also catch some off guard. In mid-May, the angle of the sun in this part of the hemisphere is equivalent to that of mid- to late July. Experts recommend using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater if you plan to spend at least 15 minutes outdoors in full sunshine.
"With the first week of solar summer upon us, it is vital to protect yourself from the sun's harmful rays," added DeVore.
The warmth might even have some seeking out recreational activities on the water, but experts warn there's a hidden danger in doing that this time of year. Since it takes longer for bodies of water to warm up in the spring compared with the air above it, cold water can be dangerous to those who enter it, leading to cold water shock after just a few minutes.
Being submerged in cold water will eventually lead to hypothermia, which can be fatal if not treated immediately and in the proper manner.
The threat of cold weather shock typically eases as the summer goes along as water temperatures in lakes and oceans rise higher.
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